Thank you for visiting our forum. As a guest, you have limited access to view some discussion and articles. By joining our free community, you will be able to view all discussions and articles, post your own topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload photos, participate in Pick'Em contests and access many other special features. Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free, so please join our community today!!

Does anyone else think that a modified 46 Defense might help out Whammy?

Just curious. Some teams still employ the 46 defense, albeit in an updated form so as to combat all of the spread attacks we are seeing these days. For instance, Oregon has used the 46 (under Aliotti's direction), as has Michigan. I realize that I am probably the only guy on the board who remembers Buddy Ryan and his 46 Defense, but I think that you guys should look into it. It can make up for a lot of defensive shortcomings. Here's a brief description of it:

"The 46 Defense was the logic behind the T-formation come full circle. Modern football has raised the QB to such a place of undisputed preeminence, turned him into such a finely-calibrated piece of offensive machinery, that he has become almost too valuable for the team's own good. Rather than worrying about covering everyone and defending against the wide variety of routes which modern offenses have created, Buddy Ryan decided to short-circuit the opposing offense by taking out the QB. As boxers used to say: Kill the brain and the body will follow."

"Over time, Buddy Ryan's 46 became much more than a mere alignment of players. It was an attitude, an ideology, a way of competing and of living. Attack, attack, attack, attack-that was the mentality on defense," Doug Plank told me. We weren't going to sit back on our heels worrying about how we were going to defend against certain plays. Instead of worrying about what the offense was plotting to do against us, WE were going to be the aggressors, forcing the offense to worry about what we were going to do against them."

Like I said, I know that none of you guys remember Buddy, but he was pretty much the greatest defensive coordinator which the game has every known. I have linked to an article about how Oregon runs an updated version of the 46 out in the Pac-12. Obviously, Buddy's sons (Rex and Rob) also utilize updated versions of the 46 in the NFL.